A Small Gate with a Weighty Presence
The Ogai Family Residence Gate (大谷家住宅門) is a koraimon-type gate between the two storehouses of the early Showa period in Kashimaku Tochikubo, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 1, 2016 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a timber gate 2.6 metres wide with a tiled roof, side walls and a wicket door; registration number 07-0167.
Ridge-End Tiles Bearing the Character 大
The gate of the Ogai family stands between the east and middle storehouses; it is a koraimon-type gate 2.6 metres wide with board walls 1.2 metres long on each side (Agency for Cultural Affairs). A transom with paired diagonal lattice bars is fitted above the opening.
The roof is of glazed plain tiles, and the ends of the ridge carry demon tiles bearing the character 大 and shachi fish ornaments, giving this small gate a weighty presence (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes the weighty presence of this small gate, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the demon tiles bearing 大 and the shachi on the ridge, and the lattice transom over the opening (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The owner is not given in the Agency record. No official information on public access was found. The east and middle storehouses and the gate are introduced together on the Ogai Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In the early Showa period (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What type of gate is it?
- A koraimon-type gate 2.6 metres wide.
- What decorates the roof?
- Demon tiles bearing 大 and shachi ornaments.
- Where does it stand?
- Between the east and middle storehouses.
- When was the Ogai Family Residence Gate registered?
- On August 1, 2016 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Ogai Family Residence Gate (大谷家住宅門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 64 Kashimaku Tochikubo, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2016/08/01 (Heisei 28) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, 2.6 m wide, with side walls and wicket door |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | No official access information |
References
- Ogai Family Residence Gate (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011048
Last verified: 2026.10.23
